Author Archive for: Engineering News

A proposal by wealthy nations to mobilise $8.5-billion for South Africa to help reduce its dependence on coal has proved more complex than anticipated, which has stalled its implementation. The money was offered to South Africa at United Nations climate talks in Glasgow last year under a deal that was seen as a possible blueprint for helping other coal-reliant developing countries transition to using cleaner energy. Details of the types of financing that will be made available and the terms and conditions attached to it are still being hashed out, along with South Africa’s investment plans, said Barbara Creecy, the nation’s environment minister.

South Africa’s government is bracing for more frequent and longer electricity outages as the state-owned power utility’s aged and poorly maintained plants continue to deteriorate. The nation has been subjected to rolling blackouts, known locally as loadshedding, since 2008, with 4 000 MW of capacity currently being cut from the grid to ensure it doesn’t collapse. The ongoing energy shortages were a major contributor to the economy’s 0.7% contraction in the second quarter.

Developing nations expect rich countries to commit more funding to adapt to global warming and a financing mechanism to help them cope with natural disasters when they meet at the COP27 climate summit in November, South African Environment Minister Barbara Creecy said. Creecy was one of the prominent African voices before the COP26 event in Glasgow last year. She’s demanded affluent nations that have emitted the bulk of the world’s climate-warming gases commit more assistance to those most affected by the impact of rising temperatures.

The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) has confirmed that Eskom has not applied for a Ministerial determination for a 3 000 MW combined cycle gas power plant at Richards Bay in terms of the Integrated Resource Plan of 2019 (IRP2019), but is instead seeking permission to deviate from the IRP2019. On September 12, Nersa circulated an erratum to a consultation paper published for public comment on August 25 in relation to it providing concurrence to a Ministerial determination for the procurement of 3 000 MW of gas-fired electricity.

State-owned power utility Eskom says bulk electricity supply to Jagersfontein, in the Free State, was restored at 04:25 on September 14. Eskom delivers electricity in bulk to Centlec, which then distributes it to Jagersfontein and Charlesville. A tailings dam burst on September 11, damaging homes and infrastructure in the area.